Jax went straight to the Quartermaine mansion from the hospital. Reginald showed him into the living room to wait while he went to get Lila. About five minutes later the doors opened and he returned, pushing Lila’s wheelchair. Jax, who was looking out the window when he heard the doors open, immediately turned to watch her come in. “Hello Lila,” he said with a big smile as he walked over to her. “You’re looking as beautiful as ever,” he said as he leaned down to kiss her hand.

Lila, who had seen him wince when he leaned down, looked up at him without letting go of his hand. “I wish I could say the same about you dear. What on earth happened? Are you all right?”

“I’m fine Lila, really I am,” Jax said with a reassuring smile. When Lila gave him a suspicious look he held up his right hand. “I swear, I’m fine. Would it reassure you if I told you that I just left Alan’s office?”

“What did he say?” Lila asked as she reached up to touch the bruise on Jax’s cheek.

Jax realized that he had to tell her the truth. “He said nothing’s broken but I do have two cracked ribs and some ugly bruises. He put this ridiculous brace on my ribs and told me to take it easy for a few days.” Jax smiled at her and took her hand from his cheek. “Okay?”

“Okay,” Lila said with a smile as she decided he was telling her the truth and squeezed his hand. “What brings you to see me in the middle of the business day?”

“I’ve come to ask a favor of you,” Jax said as he sat down on the chair next to her. “Brenda and I have decided to have a second wedding here in Port Charles so that our friends and family can help us celebrate our marriage.”

“How marvelous!” Lila said with a broad smile.

“Brenda decided on November 5th. It was her mother’s birthday.” Jax took a deep breath before continuing. “Which brings me to the favor. Brenda will be on her promotional tour for Jacks Cosmetics until the 22nd of October and I have no idea where to start to plan a wedding so I was hoping you could recommend a wedding planner who can give Brenda the wedding she’s always dreamed of in a very short period of time.” Jax looked at Lila hopefully.

“I know the perfect person to give Brenda the wedding she wants,” Lila said with a smile. “ME!”

Jax smiled at her and rested his hand on top of her. “Alan said you would offer,” he said softly.

“My son knows me very well. He also knows how much I care for Brenda and for you. Please let me do this dear,” Lila said as she looked into Jax’s eyes.

“On one condition,” Jax said seriously. “You don’t try to do everything. Brenda and I both want to be involved as much as possible but with her being out of town until the 22nd that isn’t going to be very easy. That means, whoever does plan this wedding is going to have to do most of the work. If I accept your offer, you have to promise me that you’ll get as much help as possible, including calling me.”

“That won’t be a problem, dear. Everyone on the staff here cares for Brenda almost as much as I do. They’ll enjoy planning her wedding - especially since it’s to you.” Lila leaned forward to whisper to him. “Personally, I think Cook has a bit of a crush on you,” Lila said with a wink.

Jax couldn’t help laughing as he leaned forward to kiss Lila’s cheek. “Well, if I wasn’t already married to the woman of my dreams I might just have to take her up on that.” He looked into Lila’s eyes as the smile faded from his face. “Seriously Lila, Brenda and I would love for you to plan our wedding - as long as you promise that you’ll tell me if it gets to be too much for you.”

“I promise dear,” Lila said with a smile. “Can you stay for a while so we can get started? If we’re going to have everything ready by November 5th we need to get started right away.”

Jax looked at his watch for a moment before looking back at Lila. “I can stay as long as you need luv,” he said with a smile as he squeezed her hand.

“Good,” Lila said. “Ill ask Reggie to join us so we can get started.” She pushed the power lever on her wheelchair and rolled over to the desk. She picked up the phone and pressed the intercom button. “Reggie dear, would you bring my planner to the living room? We have a party to plan.” She paused to listen for a moment. “Thank you dear,” she said as she hung up the phone.

Jax and Lila continued to work on the plans for the wedding for the next two hours. It was Jax who finally noticed the time. “Look at the time!” he said as he looked at his watch. “I need to get going.” He pointed at the pad Lila had in her lap. “Have you got enough to get started?”

“More than enough dear,” Lila said with a smile. “Would you ask Brenda to give me a call tomorrow? I’d like to get her input before I start putting things together.”

“Certainly,” Jax said with a smile as he leaned over to kiss Lila’s cheek. “I’m going to call her later this evening. I’ll let her know that you’ll be planning our wedding. I’ll also ask her to make time in her schedule to call you tomorrow.” Jax got up and stooped next to her wheelchair, wincing as he did. “I don’t know how to thank you for this Lila. Brenda is going to love being married in this house with your family around her.”

“It’s our pleasure dear. It’s been a long time since we’ve had a wedding in this house.” Lila looked at Jax with a loving smile. “Cook and I will come up with a couple of menus for you and Brenda to look over.”

“Thank you, for everything,” Jax said as he leaned forward to kiss her cheek. “I’ll call you tomorrow,” he said as he slowly stood up and put his coat on.

“Jax, before you go,” Lila said as she looked up at him. “Will you please promise me that you’ll stay away from Sonny Corrinthos?”

Jax looked at her in surprise. “Why would you say something like that?”

“Are you going to deny that he was responsible for your injuries?” Lila asked seriously. When Jax didn’t say anything she continued. “That’s what I thought. I saw how much he hates you at the last board meeting. I’ve picked up the phone to call you several times since then - to warn you about him. Please promise me that you’ll be careful.”

“I promise Lila. I’ve taken precautions to make sure Brenda and I are protected from Corrinthos,” Jax said with a reassuring smile.

“Thank you,” Lila said. “That makes me feel better.”

“Good,” Jax said as he squeezed her hand. “I’ll show myself out.”

“Thank you dear. I’ll talk to you tomorrow,” Lila said with a smile.

Just as Jax reached for the doorknob he was startled to see the door open. Edward Quartermaine stopped short coming in the door when he saw Jax. “Whaaa… What the devil are you doing here?” he demanded. “Are you all right my dear?” he asked as he walked over to Lila.

“I’ll talk to you tomorrow, Lila. Thank you - from both of us,” Jax said with a smile before turning to walk out the door without even acknowledging Edward’s arrival.

As Jax walked into the foyer Reginald came out to open the door for him. “Can I speak with you for a moment Mr. Jacks?”

“Sure Reginald, what is it?” Jax asked as he waited by the door.

“I wanted to thank you for letting Mrs. Quartermaine plan your wedding. I haven’t seen her this excited or this happy in a very long time. She thinks of Miss Brenda like one of her grandchildren - just happier, thanks to you,” Reginald said as he extended his hand to Jax. “On behalf of the entire staff I want to congratulate you and to thank you for letting us do this for her.”

Jax grasped Reginald’s extended hand. “You’ve very welcome Reginald,” Jax said with a smile. “I would like to you to promise me something though,” Jax said as the smile faded from his face and was replaced by a very serious expression. “I want you to promise me that you will make sure that she does not try to do too much.

“That’s an easy promise to make Mr. Jacks. We’ll all make sure that she doesn’t overdo things - and that you and Miss Brenda have a perfect wedding,” Reginald said with a smile.

“Thank you,” Jax said as he reached for the doorknob. When he opened the door he was not surprised to see David right outside the door waiting for him. The two men walked quickly to the waiting limo and drove away.

Once he was back at the penthouse, Jax changed his clothes, ordered his dinner and went through his mail. He had just finished playing his phone messages when there was a knock at the door. He finished writing a note in his calendar and got up to answer it. When he opened the door he was surprised to see Ned standing in front of him. “What brings you here mate? Shouldn’t you be home having dinner with your beautiful wife?”

“That’s exactly where I was headed when I got this frantic phone call from my grandfather, demanding that I come over here and order you to stay away from my grandmother.” Ned looked at Jax with an arched eyebrow.

Jax couldn’t resist chuckling as he stepped aside. “Come on in mate,” he said as he extended his arm into the room.

“Thanks,” Ned said as he walked into the room. “So, you want to tell me what’s got grandfather so ticked?”

“It’s nothing sinister Ned. He came home just as I was leaving after a visit with Lila,” Jax said calmly.

Ned noticed the bruise on Jax’s face. “He didn’t do that did he?” Ned asked as he pointed at Jax’s cheek.

“No,” Jax said as he reached up to touch the bruise. “This and a couple of cracked ribs are courtesy of a couple of Corrinthos’ goons. Corrinthos paid us a visit when Brenda was home yesterday. When I tried to throw him out he set his goons on me.”

“Good Lord! Did Brenda see what happened?” Ned asked.

“Not all of it. When she came back into the room she screamed and Corrinthos called them off,” Jax said. “You should have seen her Ned,” Jax said proudly. “She stood up to him in spite of the garbage he was spewing. She never gave him any indication that anything he said bothered her in the slightest.”

Jax took a deep breath and let it out quickly. “Anyway, after my security people got rid of Corrinthos, Brenda and I had a really nice evening. We decided to get married again here in Port Charles in front of our friends and family.”

“Terrific! Lois will love that,” Ned said with a smile. “But I’m still confused. What does this have to do with my grandmother?”

“Well, we realized that with Brenda still on tour we needed help planning the wedding so I went to see Lila to ask her to recommend a wedding planner for us.”

“Is that all?” Ned asked with a chuckle. “By the way, who did she recommend?”

“Actually,” Jax said sheepishly. “She insisted on having the wedding at the mansion and doing the planning herself.”

Ned smiled at him. “That’s what I thought. I hope you agreed.”

“I did - but only after she promised not to try to do everything herself. After my run in with Edward I saw Reginald in the foyer and he promised that he and the rest of the staff will make sure that she doesn’t do too much,” Jax said as he looked at Ned. “You don’t have to worry, mate. I won’t let her over do it. Brenda would have my head if I did.”

“Thanks,” Ned said with a nod. “Does Brenda know yet - about grandmother planning the wedding?”

“No, not yet. I’m going to call her later tonight,” Jax said with a deep sigh.

“You really miss her don’t you?” he asked as he looked at Jax.

You better believe I do,” Jax said sadly. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Shouldn’t you be getting home? Lois must be wondering where you are.”

Ned glanced at his watch. “Yikes! You’re right!” he said as he quickly walked to the door. He turned to look at Jax when they got to the door. “With my grandmother doing the planning and you being the groom, I know this wedding will be everything Brenda ever dreamed.” He extended his hand to Jax. “Will you let me know if there is anything Lois or I can do to help?”

“Actually, there is something,” Jax said as he grasped Ned’s hand. “I’d appreciate it if you didn’t tell Edward what we’re doing.” When Ned looked at him with a confused expression, Jax grew serious. “I’m sure that Lila will tell him - eventually. It’s just that she would prefer that he not know until she’s ready to tell him. Besides, I rather like the idea of him wondering what I’m doing with his wife!”

“I have no problem with that,” Ned said with a chuckle. “I’m sure grandmother will tell him eventually - after everything is in place and he can’t mess it up. I won’t say anything. You’re right, I am going to enjoy watching him try to find out.”

“Thanks mate,” Jax said as he opened the door. He was startled to see the room service waiter standing in front of him, his hand raised to knock on the door. “Perfect timing,” he said with a laugh. “I’m starved!” He stepped aside so the waiter could push the cart into the room.

“Is it okay if I tell Lois?” Ned asked as he walked up to the open door.

“Of course,” Jax said. “I’m sure Brenda will tell her - if she hasn’t already!” He and Ned shook hands and Ned walked out the door. Jax waited in the doorway until he saw the elevator doors close behind Ned. He turned back into the room and saw that the waiter had set his dinner out on the dining room table and was waiting for him to sign the check. Jax signed the check and gave him a generous tip.

After he finished dinner, Jax decided to get some work done before calling Brenda. He figured she would need a few hours to meet with the fitters for her wedding gown and he didn’t want to interrupt that. About 10:00 he put the files he was working on in his briefcase and picked up the phone. He dialed the number for Brenda’s cell phone and waited for her to answer.

“Hello sweetheart,” Brenda said brightly.

“How did you know it was me?” Jax asked with a chuckle.

“I was hoping it was you,” Brenda said with a laugh. “I have a million things to tell you!”

“And I want to hear every single one of them,” Jax said with a sigh.

“Oh no you don’t!” Brenda said with a suddenly serious tone in her voice. “What did Alan say about your injuries? Are you okay?”

“He said I’m fine Brenda,” Jax said reassuringly.

“Jaaax,” Brenda said sternly.

“Okay, he said nothing is broken but I do have two cracked ribs and some bad bruises. He put a brace on my ribs and told me to take it easy for a few days,” Jax said calmly.

“Thank God,” Brenda said as she let out the breath she had been holding.

“Now, you tell me about your day,” Jax said eagerly.

Brenda spent the next twenty minutes telling him about her day. She spent about five minutes telling him about her promotional activities and the rest about her meeting with the fitters from Adelle Bennett. She rambled on and on about pictures of gowns in the magazines he had gotten her before she left Port Charles.

As Brenda rambled on about the gowns she had seen, Jax realized that she had managed to avoid mentioning one singe detail about the gown she actually wanted. “So I take it you had a successful meeting with the fitters?” he asked innocently.

“It was more than successful Jax,” she said eagerly. “I can’t wait to see the sketches!”

“When are you going to meet with Adelle?”

“She’s going to meet me in Boston with the sketches,” Brenda said excitedly. She took a quick deep breath. “You can’t imagine how much I’m actually looking forward to Boston Jax! I get to choose my wedding dress in the afternoon and I get to see you at night. That’s what I call a perfect day!”

“Are you sure you aren’t spreading yourself too thin luv?” Jax asked seriously as he ran his fingers through his hair. “I mean, you have a full schedule of appearances and interviews during the day and then your meeting with Adelle about your gown after that!”

“Jax, don’t you dare tell me that you’re not coming!” Brenda said nervously. “I need to see you!” Brenda paused for a moment. “Besides, I don’t have a full schedule anymore. Lucy cancelled two of the interviews because she wasn’t comfortable with what she found out their approach was going to be.”

“What was that?” Jax asked suspiciously.

“The model and the mobster,” Brenda said with a sigh. “According to Lucy, they both wanted to focus their stories on the relationship between a high profile model and a leader of one of the largest crime families in New York.”

“Who were these reporters?” Jax asked as he tried to control his growing anger.

“One was a free lance newswire reporter who’s based in Boston and the other is a columnist for a regional fashion magazine. Why?” Brenda asked suddenly feeling a little nervous. “What are you thinking Jax?”

Jax had written down everything she had said about the reporters and where they worked. He also made a note to call Lucy to get their names as well as those of their editors. “I’m not really sure luv,” he said. “It just seems strange that two apparently unrelated reporters, in the same city, would want to interview you about your relationship with Sonny while you’re on a promotional tour for Jacks Cosmetics - a company named after your HUSBAND’S family.”

“I never thought about it that way,” Brenda said. “Do you think Sonny is behind it?” Brenda asked, suddenly feeling a little nervous and grateful for the increased security Ben had given her.

“I don’t think so,” Jax said after thinking for a moment. “I doubt he’s eager for publicity, considering his line of work. Just to make sure though, I’m going to have Ben look into things. Okay?”

“Okay,” Brenda said quickly, her relief obvious in her voice. “Anyway, the good part of all this is that I have almost the entire afternoon I’m in Boston to myself so I’ll have plenty of time to meet with Adelle before you get here.”

Jax couldn’t help smiling at how easily she had changed the subject. “Do I get to see the sketches when I get there?” he asked innocently.

“Absolutely not!” Brenda said with a chuckle. “You can see the finished dress when I walk down the aisle wearing it! Which reminds me, did you talk to Lila about hiring a wedding planner?”

“Everything’s taken care of luv,” Jax said calmly.

“Really? Who did she recommend?” Brenda asked excitedly.

“Actually, Lila insisted on having the wedding at the Quartermaine house and doing the planning herself - if that’s okay with you,” Jax said matter of factly.

“Really!” Brenda yelled. “We’re really going to have our wedding at the Quartermaines?”

“From the tone of your voice I take it you like the idea?” Jax asked with a chuckle.

“Of course I like the idea! I love that house. It’s the only place, other than our penthouse, that ever felt like home to me,” Brenda said excitedly. “But honey, isn’t planning our wedding too much for Lila?”

“I already told her that there was no way I would agree unless she promised to get help,” Jax said quickly. “She promised me that she had no intention of doing everything herself. She said everyone on the Quartermaine staff would help out. As I was leaving, Reginald stopped me in the foyer and promised that everyone would pitch in. He also promised to keep an eye on Lila and let me know if she was doing too much.” Jax took a breath. “That reminds me, Lila wants you to call her tomorrow. She and I talked about several things this afternoon and she wants to discuss them with you before she starts work on them.”

“You bet! I’ll call her as soon as I get back to my hotel tomorrow,” Brenda said excitedly.

“Good, Lila said she and Cook would have some sample menus and some other things we need to decide on ready for me to bring to Boston with me,” Jax said, feeling almost as excited about the wedding as Brenda sounded.

They spent the next hour talking about everything they had each done since parting that morning. When Brenda grew quiet Jax knew something was bothering her. “Okay luv, what’s wrong?”

“You haven’t said anything about the protection order Ben was trying to get. Did the judge turn him down?”

“Actually no, he signed it immediately. In fact, he even added an order of his own to it,” Jax said with a laugh.

“What was that?” Brenda asked.

“He ordered Mac Scorpio to serve it personally,” Jax said with a chuckle. “Needless to say, he wasn’t too pleased at that.”

“But he did serve it, right?” Brenda asked nervously.

“Yes he served it luv. There was a message from Ben on the answering machine when I got home tonight. He said Alexis, that’s the lawyer he hired, called him to let him know that the order had been served.” Jax got the feeling that the news didn’t provide much relief to Brenda’s fears. He suddenly thought of something that might reduce her fear.

“You’ll never guess who was waiting for me at the airport this morning. Just as I turned to leave Ben was standing right in front of me. He came out to try to convince me to let him reassign a protection team to me, at least for a while.” Jax could feel Brenda start to relax even without her saying a word. “You should have seen his face when I agreed without argument. I wish I’d had a camera with me. There is no way to describe the expression on his face. You had to see it!” Jax said with a chuckle.

“So you have protection now?” Brenda asked.

“Yes luv,” Jax said reassuringly. “David was waiting for me when I got to the office and there is a guard at both doors to the apartment. Whenever I go out either David or Jared will be with me.”

“Okay, good,” Brenda said as she felt herself relax.

Jax could tell by the sound of her voice that she was getting very tired even though she didn’t say anything. He also knew that she would not be the one to end their call. “I should let you get some rest. You’ve got a busy day tomorrow.”

Brenda stifled a yawn. “I guess you’re right. I have three more appearances here tomorrow before we leave for Philadelphia in the afternoon.”

“Will you have time to call Lila?” Jax asked.

“I’ll make time to call her!” Brenda said quickly. “I’ll call her from the plane on the way to Philadelphia.”

“Just don’t try to do too much luv,” Jax said seriously. I’m sure Lila would understand if you don’t call her right away.”

“Absolutely not Jax!” Brenda declared. “I have every intention of being involved in planning every part of this wedding.”

Jax couldn’t help smiling at the firmness in Brenda’s voice. “Well then you better get some rest tonight,” he said with a chuckle. “I’ll talk to you tomorrow night.”

“And I’ll see you at the Ritz Hotel in Boston. Right?” Brenda said expectantly.

“You can count on it,” Jax said reassuringly. “Good night luv.”

“Good night Jax. I love you,” Brenda said softly.

“I love you too,” Jax said softly as he hung up the phone.

When Jax boarded the plane for Boston he was carrying his briefcase, something he never did when meeting Brenda. This trip, however, he had made an exception because it was filled with wedding plans. As he was getting ready to leave his office Lila had called and asked him to stop by to pick up the sample menus, linen color samples and other things that she needed Jax and Brenda to make final decisions on right away. As he was leaving he promised to get everything back to her with their decisions tomorrow.

He handed the case to the steward before settling in for the flight. As soon as they were airborne, he called the bakery in Vienna to verify that the designs for the wedding care were ready and to give them the plane’s fax number. About ten minutes later the steward came back into the cabin carrying a file folder that he handed to Jax before pouring his coffee.

When he was alone again Jax opened the file and looked through the color photos and descriptions inside. He picked up his phone to call the bakery to let them know he had received the material. He promised to let them know the final decision in a day or so. He spent the rest of the flight studying the photos and reading the description of each cake more closely.

When they landed in Boston, Jax was not surprised to see Jared waiting with a car for him at the foot of the ramp. The plane steward carried his bag and his briefcase to the car and stowed them in the trunk. As Jax waited in the plane David went down to talk to Jared for a minute before coming back to let him know everything was clear.

It took them about twenty minutes to get to the hotel where he and Brenda had reserved the Penthouse Suite. He was surprised when he got to the front desk to find that Brenda had not yet arrived. He and David followed the bellman across the lobby to the special penthouse elevator. Just as the doors opened, Jax glanced toward the front door and was delighted to see Brenda and Eric walk in. Jax put his hand on David’s shoulder and nodded toward the door with a big smile. As soon as David saw the smile he knew that Brenda must have arrived. He nodded to Jax that he understood and leaned forward to tell the bellman to wait.

As Brenda looked around the lobby she was thrilled when she saw Jax walking toward her. She screamed with delight and ran toward him. As soon as she got close enough to him she jumped up, wrapping her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist. She kissed around his face before finally kissing him passionately on the mouth, both of them oblivious of where they were or who could be watching. All they cared about was being together again.

Brenda finally ended the kiss and leaned back just enough to look into his face. “Hello my husband,” she said softly as she looked into his eyes with a smile.

“Hello wife,” Jax said with a smile as he leaned forward to give her a quick kiss. “Ready to go upstairs?” he asked with a mischievous smile.

“Absolutely,” she said with a wink as she slowly slid down his body until her feet finally touched the floor. They stood silently looking into each other’s eyes until they heard David discreetly clear his throat. Brenda finally looked away from Jax and realized that everyone in the lobby was watching them. “Oh dear,” she said quietly as she leaned her forehead against Jax’s chest to hide the deep pink blush that covered her face.

“Come on luv,” Jax said quietly as he wrapped his arm around her and pulled her close. She immediately wrapped her arms around him. They didn’t say a word as they walked the rest of the way across the lobby to the elevator where Eric and the bellman were waiting with their luggage. As the elevator doors opened Eric and the bellman walked in, followed by Jax and Brenda, with David bringing up the rear.

Once they were settled in their suite the bellman left and Eric took up his post outside their door. He would be relieved in four hours by another member of the protection unit who in turn would be relieved as scheduled. David had arranged with hotel security to limit access to the penthouse level so that once their dinner was delivered Jax and Brenda would not be disturbed until morning.

Jax and Brenda both quickly unpacked before sitting down together on the couch to look at everything Lila had sent for them to decide on. Jax loved the light he saw in Brenda’s eyes as they looked at each sample. He found himself agreeing with her on everything they looked at. The last thing to decide on was the wedding cake. Jax pulled the folder the plane steward had given him out of the briefcase and spread the photos out on the coffee table.

“Oh my God!” Brenda said as she brought her hand to her mouth. “Jax, they’re beautiful,” she said in awe. She looked up at him with tears in her eyes as she gently rested her fingers on one of the pictures. “Did Lila do these?”

“Actually no,” Jax said a little nervously. “I called the bakery that made the cake we had on the yacht. I asked them to design several original cakes large enough to accommodate our guest list. They faxed these to me on the plane.” He looked at her expectantly. “What do you think? If you don’t like any of them I can ask them to do another set.”

Brenda looked at each of the pictures and read the descriptions attached to each. Then she spread them all out on the table again and looked over at Jax.

“Any one of them you like?” he asked.

Brenda glanced down at the pictures again and gently picked up the picture her fingers were resting on. She held it up. “This one - definitely,” she said with a big smile.

Jax reached for the picture, looked at it for a moment, then looked back at her. “This one it is then,” he said with a wink. “I’ll call them tomorrow. All they will need to know is the color scheme. Have you decided that yet?”

“I sure have,” Brenda said as she nodded her head. “Adelle showed me the sketches she did for the bridal party’s dresses and they’re amazing. They are going to be made out of the same material as mine but in a color called candlelight.” When she saw the confused expression on Jax’s face she smiled and cupped the side of his face. “Don’t look so confused honey,” Brenda said with a chuckle. “Adelle left me a sample of the material. Why don’t you just send a piece of it to the bakery so they can match the color?”

Jax smiled at her and leaned forward to give her a quick but passionate kiss. He leaned his forehead against her for a moment. “You’re so smart. No wonder I love you so much,” he said with a smile as he leaned back.

Brenda reached to take his face in her hands and brought him close to her. “I love you too sweetheart, more than I can ever tell you.” With that she leaned forward and kissed him passionately. As one kiss led to another and another, Jax slowly pulled her with him as he lay back on the couch.

As they continued kissing Jax slowly pulled down the zipper in the back of her dress and slid his hands inside to caress her back. As they continued kissing Brenda slowly unbuttoned his shirt. She kissed a path down his neck as she spread his shirt open to kiss his chest above his heart. She suddenly stopped and sat up, her knees straddling his hips and her hands resting on her thighs. She stared into his eyes as she reached to pull her dress off of her shoulders and down her arms. She lifted herself from his legs to pull the dress up over her head and drop it on the floor beside the couch, never taking her eyes off of his.

Jax rested his hands on her thighs as he watched her pull the dress off. As she sat back on his lap he finished unbuttoning his shirt and started to pull it out of his pants. He stopped when Brenda drew in a quick breath. He rested his hands on her thighs again and looked up into her eyes, surprised to see a look of fear in them. “What’s wrong?” he asked as he gently rubbed his hands up and down her thighs.

“Your ribs Jax,” Brenda said as she leaned forward slightly and gently touched the brace. “Maybe we should stop. I don’t want to hurt you.”

“Trust me luv, the only way you could hurt me would be if you stop what you’re doing,” Jax said with an enticing smile.

Brenda couldn’t resist smiling. “We wouldn’t want that now would we,” she said as she leaned forward to kiss him. As their kisses became more passionate the remainder of their clothes disappeared. It wasn’t long before they were making love with the total abandon that happened every time they got together after one of their separations.

Afterward, they lay cuddled together on the sofa, the throw from the back covering them. Brenda gently ran her fingertips across Jax’s chest. “Are you okay? Do your ribs hurt?” she asked as she ran her fingers down over the bruise.

Jax shifted slightly so she could snuggle close to his side as he ran his fingers through her hair, gently lifting it from across her face and pushing it behind her ear. “I’m fine luv, better than fine actually.” He lifted her head so he could see her face. “Don’t worry about my ribs Brenda - I’m not,” he said with a smile.

Brenda looked at him for a moment before a smile slowly spread across her face. “Okay,” she said softly as she rested her head back against his shoulder. “Have you made any progress finding out who made the run on Bailey yet?” she asked as she gently traced figure eights on his chest.

“I think we’re pretty close to getting the answer,” Jax said as he ran his finger up and down her back. “I talked to dad before I left Port Charles and he’s pretty sure we should know who it is by the end of the week. Whoever it is used banks in London and Geneva. Dad’s people are tracing the money trail so he’s been keeping me posted.”

“Have you told your parents about us getting married again yet?” Brenda asked as she suddenly lifted her head and rolled over on top of him so she could look directly into his face.

“Not yet,” Jax said as smiled at her. “I planned to call mum when I get back to Port Charles tomorrow. They’re going to be thrilled - especially mum, even if it does mean she’ll have to wear a dress for the wedding!” he said with a chuckle.

Brenda leaned up and gently slapped his chest. “That’s not nice Jax,” she said with a chuckle of her own.

“Think about it,” Jax said seriously even though there was a smile on his face. “Have you ever seen my mother in a dress?”

When Brenda couldn’t give him an answer he continued. “Don’t feel bad luv. I grew up around her and I think I only remember a handful of times I”VE ever seen her in a dress!”

Brenda smiled at him for a minute. She lifted Jax’s arm to look at his watch. “I better go take my shower. Dinner will be here soon.”

Jax wrapped his arms around her again. “Want some company?” he asked enticingly as he arched his eyebrow.

“I was hoping you’d ask,” Brenda said with a laugh as she jumped up and ran toward the bathroom. It only took a couple of strides for Jax to catch up with her. He wrapped his arm around her from behind and lifted her off the floor. He carried her into the bathroom, both of the laughing.

They stepped into the shower stall together. Jax turned on the water as Brenda pulled the door shut. When she turned to face him she drew in a quick breath at the sight of the water flowing down his naked body. She immediately wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him down for a kiss. It wasn’t long before their increasingly intimate kisses turned into passionate lovemaking.

After their shower Jax quickly dried off and put on the thick terrycloth robe that was hanging on the back of the bathroom door. He gave Brenda another quick kiss before leaving her alone to get dressed for dinner.

When Brenda came out of the bedroom twenty minutes later what she saw took her breath away. Everything was exactly as she had asked. The lights were off and the room was aglow with dozens of candles. There was a fire set in the fireplace and their dinner was on a table beside it. What had really taken her breath away was the sight of Jax standing, staring into the fire. He looked deep in thought and didn’t seem to know she was there so she took advantage of the opportunity to just watch him.

It wasn’t until he heard Brenda clear her throat that Jax looked away from the fire. He smiled when he saw her standing in the bedroom doorway. She was wearing a pair of black satin pajamas. Her hair was loose on her shoulders and her feet were bare. She was smiling at him as she stood leaning against the doorframe with her legs crossed at the ankles and her arms crossed in front of her.

“There you are,” Jax said as he walked over to her. He leaned down to give her a quick kiss. “When did you have the time to arrange all of this?” he asked in amazement as he held his arm out to the room.

“It wasn’t hard,” Brenda said proudly. “Once I made the reservations for this suite, I contacted the facility coordinator and told her exactly what I wanted and she did the rest.” She reached her arms around his waist and looked up at him. “Do you like it?” she asked softly.

Jax leaned down and kissed her passionately. When he leaned back up he gently brushed the backs of his fingers across her cheek. “What do you think?” he said softly with a broad smile on his face.

Brenda covered his hand with hers. She looked up at him with a mischievous twinkle in her eyes. “I think yes,” she said with a smile.

“You think right,” Jax said as he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. “Let’s eat,” he said as he leaned down to give her a quick kiss on the forehead before suddenly letting her go and walking over to the table. He pulled out one of the chairs and waited for her to come over and sit down. As soon as she did, he pushed her chair in for her before sitting down himself.

They talked about all the things Lila had sent for them to decide on for the wedding as they ate their dinner. Brenda couldn’t seem to stop talking, which made Jax smile as he listened. When she noticed him smiling she stopped and looked at him. “What are you smiling at?” she asked curiously.

“You,” Jax said with a smile as he reached over and put his hand on top of hers. “I love seeing you this excited - and this happy!”

Brenda reached over and stroked the backs of her fingers across his cheek. “I’m always happy when I’m with you,” she said softly as she leaned forward to kiss him.

Without breaking their kiss, Jax scooped her into his arms and carried her into the bedroom, laying her down on the bed. He stood looking down at her until she held her open arms up to him. He continued to look at her as he untied his robe and took it off, dropping it on the floor before lying down next to her. He leaned over to give her a quick kiss before propping his head up with this hand to silently look at her as her started to unbutton her shirt.

Brenda rolled onto her side to face him as he continued to unbutton her shirt, running her fingers up and down his arm as he did. When the last button was open, Jax leaned forward and kissed her passionately, rolling her onto her back as he did. As they continued to kiss, Jax reached inside her open shirt to caress her breast. When he ended their kiss he stared silently into her eyes as his hand covered her breast. Without looking away, he pulled the open edges of her shirt off of her breasts and leaned forward, kissing her passionately on the lips before beginning a trail of kisses across her cheek and down the side of her neck. He continued downward until he was between her breasts. He placed several kissed above her heart before looking up into her eyes without lifting his lips from her chest. He kissed her one more time before lifting his lips.

“I’ve missed you,” he said softly as he gently dragged his fingertips across her aroused nipples. He leaned down and placed a soft kiss on each of her nipples before running his tongue across them, causing Brenda to moan softly as she ran her fingers through the hair on the back of his head and pulled him closer.

“I’ve missed you too,” she said with a sigh as she lifted his face and leaned down to kiss him passionately. It only took a moment for Brenda to finish undressing, never breaking their kiss. As soon as the last of her clothing was gone Jax made them one. He watched her eyes cloud over as she surrendered to her passion. He remained motionless until he felt her arch up against him. He began to move slowly at first but he soon felt his self-control slipping away as he became lost in the passion of their lovemaking.

Afterward, they lay wrapped tightly around each other as they each tried to get up the energy to move. Finally, Brenda began to trace her fingers across his chest. “I missed this too,” she said softly as she leaned forward to place a kiss on his chest above his heart.

“So have I luv,” Jax whispered as he kissed the top of her head. He tilted his head to the side to look into her face. “At least this is almost over. You’ll be home for good soon,” he said as he looked expectantly at her.

Brenda lifted her head a little and smiled as she looked at him. “Just eleven more days,” she said with a sigh. “That only leaves us about two weeks after that to finish planning our wedding. Do you really think we can pull it off sweetheart?” Brenda asked with what Jax thought was a trace of desperation in her voice.

Jax brushed her hair back behind her ear as he smiled reassuringly at her. “Are you kidding luv? Of course we can pull it off! Jax said. “Lila wouldn’t permit anything else! Besides, with the way she’s got things organized already and the help she’s getting from the Quartermaine staff I’m more worried that there won’t be anything left for US to do when you get home!” he said as he leaned forward to place a kiss on her forehead.

Brenda smiled at him as she leaned up to kiss him. When their kiss ended she didn’t back away. She just smiled up at him as she reached to stroke his face. “I think I like that,” she said seductively. “That will give us more time to ‘catch up’,” she said as she leaned forward to give him a quick kiss.

“Catch up on what?” Jax asked as he arched his eyebrow.

“On this,” Brenda whispered as she leaned up to kiss him passionately. It wasn’t long before their passionate kisses again turned into passionate lovemaking. It wasn’t until they were both completely satisfied that they finally drifted off to sleep, snuggled together, their bodies spooned against each other and Jax’s arm wrapped protectively around Brenda.

Jax woke first and smiled at not only the feel of Brenda in his arms but also the memory of the passion they had shared the night before. He lifted his head slightly to look at the clock on the nightstand. He laid his head back on the pillow for a moment before softly kissing the top of Brenda’s head. He very gently eased out of bed so that he wouldn’t wake her and stood silently as she stirred around, trying to adjust to him no longer being next to her. When she seemed to have settled down, he picked up the robe he had dropped on the floor and headed into the bathroom to shower and shave.

Jax had just stepped out of the shower when he thought he heard something from the bedroom. He stood silently unmoving for a moment to listen. When he heard Brenda’s voice he quickly grabbed his robe and opened the door. Just as he stepped into the bedroom, Brenda moaned and then screamed his name. It only took him a couple of strides to cover the distance to the bed. He immediately sat down next to Brenda and was startled when, as he was reaching to touch her, she suddenly opened her eyes. When she saw Jax sitting next to her she sat up and wrapped her arms tightly around his neck.

Jax could feel her trembling so he wrapped his arms tightly around her. “It’s okay luv. It was just a dream. I’m here now and I’ve got you,” he said softly as he kissed the top of her head.

“Thank God,” Brenda said as she tightened her arms around him and snuggled her face against his neck.

When she didn’t stop trembling, Jax pulled her arms from around his neck so that he could see her face. He could see that here eyes were filled with fear. “What is it luv? What has you scared like this? It was only a dream.”

“I know Jax,” Brenda said as she exhaled slowly, trying to regain some sense of calm. “But it was so real. Then, when I realized that I was alone in the bed I…” She looked into his face. “Where were you?”

Jax gently stroked her cheek. “I was in the bathroom. I had just gotten out of the shower when I heard you.” He looked deep into her eyes. “I’m sorry I left you alone.” He cupped the side of her face. “Can you tell me what the dream was about? Maybe it will help to talk about it,” he said with a reassuring smile.

Brenda held her hand on his on her cheek for a moment before leaning back against the headboard and pulling the covers tightly around herself. “I don’t remember all of it but I’ll tell you what I can.” Before starting she reached for Jax’s hand, interlocking her fingers with his. “It was the day of our wedding. We were just getting ready to cut our cake when all of a sudden a woman called out your name and you froze, looked around the room and suddenly ran out the door. You just left me standing there calling your name.”

“Did you see who the woman was who called me?” Jax asked, suddenly feeling a knot form in his stomach.

“I don’t remember if I even saw her. All I remember is you running away from me, leaving me completely alone and then Sonny’s voice telling me that this was what I deserved for trusting you and then he started laughing as he walked toward me,” she said as she shuddered.

Even though he felt himself shaken by her dream, Jax pulled her forward and wrapped his arms tightly around her. “It was just a dream Brenda. There is no woman on this earth - past, present or future - who could get me away from you, especially one that would be connected to Sonny in some way!” He kissed the top of her head before resting his cheek on her soft hair.

Brenda snuggled closer to him as she tightened her arms around him. “I know, but it seemed so real that it scared me,” she said without lifting her head from his shoulder. They sat silently holding each other until Brenda finally leaned back and looked up at him with a slight smile. “I’m okay now,” she said with a sigh. She looked over at the clock. “You better finish dressing. David will be here to take you to the airport soon.”

“Are you sure you’re okay luv? I can stay as long as you want me to,” Jax said as he caressed the side of her face.

Brenda pulled his hand down and held it in both of hers. “In that case, I never want you to leave,” she said with a smile. “But really though, I’m fine now Jax. I’m sorry I acted so silly about a stupid dream.”

Jax looked at her with a trace of sadness in his eyes. “Don’t apologize luv. I really wish I could stay. I hate the idea of leaving you again.” He put his free hand on top of hers.

“I know that honey,” Brenda said with a smile as she nodded her head slightly. She took a deep breath and let it out quickly. “Okay! Enough of this! You go finish dressing and I’ll call down to have our breakfast sent up.”

“Sounds like a good idea,” Jax said as he leaned forward to give her a quick kiss. He got up and walked quickly into the bathroom. He came back a moment later with the second robe from the back of the door. “You might need this,” he said as he stood next to the bed holding the robe open for Brenda to put on.

Brenda sat and looked at him holding the robe for a moment with a big smile before throwing back the covers and getting out of bed. She slipped her arms into the sleeves as Jax wrapped the robe around her from behind, holding her close to him for a minute as she rested here head back against his chest. “This feels so good,” she said with a sigh.

“The robe?” Jax asked innocently as he leaned down to kiss the side of her neck.

She slapped his crossed arms that rested at her waist as she turned sideways to look up at his face with a frustrated smile. “You know what I meant!”

Jax chuckled. “Of course I do,” he said as he leaned down to kiss her lips. “You better order that breakfast. I’m afraid I have to leave soon,” he said after ending the kiss.

“Okay,” she said as she turned in his embrace and wrapped her arms around his waist. “Don’t take too long. I already ordered breakfast. I just have to give them the okay to bring it up.” As she started to release her arms from around his waist she stopped and rested her hands on his hips. “Do you need me to help you with your rib brace?”

“No, I can do it,” Jax said as he smiled down at her. “I’ve gotten pretty good at putting it on. Besides, Alan said I only need to wear it for a few more days.” After giving her one more quick kiss, he smiled down at her. “Go order breakfast. I’ll be finished in a minute.” He gave the tip of her nose a quick tap before walking back into the bathroom.

When Jax came out of the bedroom about ten minutes later, he was surprised to see breakfast waiting for them on the table in front of the fireplace. He smiled when he saw Brenda sitting on the couch, reading the paper with her legs tucked up underneath her. She had a cup of coffee in her hand as she read the paper. When she realized that he was watching her she looked up. Her look of concern surprised Jax.

“What’s wrong?” Jax asked as he walked over to her, setting his bag down next to the couch as he did.

Brenda handed him the paper. “They know about Bailey,” she said seriously as she pointed at the article she had been reading.

Jax quickly skimmed over the article before closing the paper and setting it on the coffee table. “There’s nothing damaging in there,” Jax said calmly as he sat down on the table in front of her. He rested his hands on her leg as he looked into her eyes. “There was no way we could keep it a secret forever.” He thought for a moment before continuing. “I have a feeling that whoever is behind the raid on Bailey gave this story to the paper. They obviously have no idea that we’re on to them.”

“Are you sure Jax? You really don’t think this will cause you any trouble? You aren’t just saying that for my sake?” Brenda asked as she turned and put her feet on the floor and her hands on his knees.

With a very serious expression Jax rested his hands on top of hers. “Listen to me, I will never lie to you about anything - business or personal.”

Brenda smiled at him. “I know that Jax - in my heart. I just needed to hear you say it out loud.” She leaned forward to give him a quick kiss. “Come on, let’s eat. You have a plane to catch.” She got up and extended her hand to him. When he got up and took her hand she led him to the table and pulled out a chair for him before sitting down herself.

They didn’t say much as they ate breakfast. As they were lingering over their coffee Jax looked over at her. “Have you decided who you are going to have as your attendants?”

“Well, I already asked Lois to be my matron of honor. It took a little convincing because she wasn’t sure she wanted to stand up in front of everyone being eight months pregnant but she finally agreed.” Brenda took a deep breath before finishing. “I thought I’d give Emily a call later today to see if she’d be a bridesmaid.”

Jax put his napkin on the table as he looked at her. “What about Robin? Are you going to ask her to be a bridesmaid?”

Brenda got up and walked over to the terrace doors and stared out at the skyline. “Would you mind if I did?” she asked without looking back at him.

Jax got up and walked up behind her. He put his hands on her shoulders without turning her around. “Why would I mind luv? She’s one of your closest friends.”

“That’s true, but she’s also very close to Sonny. And her boyfriend is Sonny’s second in command. I’m a little afraid that if I ask her to be my bridesmaid she’ll try to get me to invite Jason to the wedding as her date.”

Jax finally turned her around to face him. “It’s your wedding Brenda. You can invite anyone you want. If you want to ask Robin to be a part of the wedding you should ask her. I don’t want you to regret anything about this wedding.” He smiled as he cupped the side of her face.

Brenda smiled up at him. “Thank you,” she said. “Maybe I’ll give her a call later and sound her out on the idea.”

“What do you mean?” Jax asked.

“Well, I’ll tell her we’re planning the wedding and if she tries to talk me out of it or she say anything about Sonny or Jason I won’t ask her,” Brenda said in a firm voice.

“Are you sure you want to do that? I know how important Robin is to you,” Jax said as he lifted her chin with the side of his finger.

Brenda smiled up at him as she took his hand in hers. “Not as important as you are Jax. This is your wedding too. I’m not going to have anyone there who could make you the slightest bit uncomfortable.”

Jax leaned now and gave her a passionate kiss. “I love you Brenda Jacks,” he said when the kiss ended.

“I love you too,” Brenda said as she stood up on her toes to give him another passionate kiss. When she ended the kiss she rested her hands on his chest. “Have you decided who you want to ask?”

“If I can find him, I plan to ask Jerry to be my best man. I’ve already asked Ned to be an usher. I figured you’d convince Lois to be in the wedding. If you do decide to ask Robin to be in the wedding I asked dad to be an usher as well.”

“Jax he CAN’T be an usher! I was hoping he’d walk me down the aisle.” When she saw the surprised expression on Jax’s face Brenda couldn’t help smiling. “After all, the bride is supposed to be given in marriage by her father and your dad feels like my father.”

Before either of them could say anything else there was a knock on the door. Jax leaned his forehead against hers. “That’ll be David,” he said sadly.

“You have to go,” Brenda said softly.

“I’m afraid so. I have a meeting in New York at 11:00 and then a conference call that Addie set up at the Port Charles office at 2:30.” When he saw the concern on Brenda’s face he touched her cheek. “What’s wrong?”

Brenda walked away from him without answering. “Nothing,” she said without turning to look back at him. There was another knock at the door. “I’ll get it. You better make sure you’ve got everything.” Before Jax could say anything she walked quickly to the door and opened it. “Good morning David, come in. Mr. Jacks will be ready in a minute.” She was startled when she turned back from letting David in to see that Jax had not moved from his spot by the window. She walked up to him and put her hand on his arm. “Honey?” she said softly.

“You didn’t answer my question. Why did you walk away from me?” Jax asked as he looked at her with a very determined expression. When he saw Brenda glance over to where David was standing he squeezed her arm gently. “I’ll be right back,” he said softly as he walked over to the couch. He picked up his overnight bag and his briefcase and handed them to David. “Would you take these to the car for me David? I’ll be down in a minute.”

“Of course sir,” David said politely. “Jared will be waiting for you in the hall.” He nodded slightly to Jax then turned and nodded slightly to Brenda before turning and walking out the door.

“Okay, we’re alone now. Will you please tell me what’s bothering you?” Jax asked as he put his hand on her arm.

Brenda took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “I was just thinking that maybe you shouldn’t meet me in Atlanta or Richmond.”

“Why not?” Jax asked, stunned by her suggestion.

“It’s not fair to you to loose all of this time away from your office.” When she saw Jax start to say something, Brenda put her hand up. “You leave work early to fly wherever I am by dinnertime, you spend the night with me, then leave late in the morning - way too late to get to the office before noon - so you loose another half day of work. Which means you have to work late into the night just to try to catch up.”

“Brenda, I always work late when I’m not with you. It keeps my mind off of missing you. It’s no different after we’ve met somewhere then any other day you’re gone.” Jax paused for a moment and smiled at her. “I take that back, it is different - it’s better after I’ve seen you! When I go to bed I remember every detail of our night together and I don’t miss you quite as much when I wake up the next morning.”

He took her face in both of his hands. “I refuse to give that up, so I guess you’re stuck with me showing up on your doorstep in Atlanta AND Richmond!”

Brenda rested her hands on his chest as she smiled up at him with tears in her eyes. “How do you always manager to do that?”

“Do what?” Jax asked with a smile as he slowly wrapped his arms around her.

“Make me feel better when I don’t believe that it’s possible,” Brenda said as she wrapped her arms around his waist.

“It’s a gift,” Jax said as he leaned down to kiss her passionately. The kiss continued until they heard a knock on the door. “Damn!” Jax hissed as he rested his forehead against her. “I have to go,” he said softly.

“I know,” Brenda said as she reached up to cup the side of his face. “Will you call me tonight?”

“You can count on it,” Jax said as he started to lean down to give her another kiss.

“You know what? I always do,” Brenda said softly as she leaned up to kiss him. When the kiss finally ended, she looked up at him with a smile. “Come on, I’ll walk you to the door,” she said as she wrapped her arm around his waist and leaned her head against his shoulder. When they got to the door, she turned to face him, her hands resting on his chest. "I’ll see you in Atlanta.”

“I’ll be there,” Jax said before leaning down to give her another quick kiss. “I’ll call you tonight,” he said with a smile as he reached for the doorknob. He was not surprised to see Jared waiting for him. He turned to give Brenda one more quick kiss before walking out and down the hall to the elevator. When the doors opened he looked back at Brenda standing in the doorway and gave her a quick wave before stepping into the elevator.

Jax had made it to his New York meeting with time to spare. He also made it back to Port Charles in plenty of time for his conference call. After the call, Addie brought him the latest updates on the Bailey investigation. After reading through all of the reports he closed the folder and leaned back in his chair. He closed his eyes and tented his fingers in front of his chin, his elbows resting on his chair arms. He was still sitting like that several minutes later when he was startled by the sound of Addie’s voice.

“Why don’t you go home Mr. Jacks? There isn’t anything on your desk that cannot wait for tomorrow,” she said as she stood in front of his desk.

“You know Addie, that sounds like a very good idea,” Jax said as he ran his fingers through his hair. “I think I might stop in the gym for a workout before I go home.” He packed some of the files he had been reading into his briefcase before standing up. “Thanks for the suggestion,” he said as he reached for his topcoat.

Addie put her hand on his arm. “Just don’t overdo the exercise, Mr. Jacks. You don’t want to aggravate those ribs do you?”

Jax smiled at her. “I’m fine Addie. The bruises are starting to fade and Alan said I only have to wear the brace for a few more days.” He finished putting on his coat and reached for his briefcase. “Trust me Addie, with Brenda coming home soon I’m not going to do ANYTHING to prolong my recovery.”

Addie smiled at him and nodded slightly. “Good night sir,” she said as she turned to walk toward the door.

“Good night Addie, and thank you for being so concerned about me,” Jax said as he picked up his briefcase and followed her out the door.

During the ride back to the hotel, Jax called the front desk to let them know that he would need after-hours access to the health club. As soon as they got to the hotel he went up to the penthouse, changed into his exercise clothes and went down to the gym. True to his promise to Addie, he didn’t work too hard. He spent most of his time on the treadmill. For once, he realized, he appreciated having Jared around. He was glad for the company.

When he got back to the penthouse, he ordered his dinner before taking a long hot shower. After eating his dinner, he stretched out on the couch to relax and do nothing for the first time in a long time. When he looked up at the mantle and saw Brenda’s little yacht he couldn’t help smiling. It also reminded him that he had promised Brenda he would call his parents tonight. He got up and walked over to get the phone off the desk. After dialing their number he sat on the edge of the desk and waited for someone to answer.

“Jacks here,” his father said quickly.

“What a coincidence, Jax here too,” he said with a chuckle.

“Jax! How are you son? How’s that beautiful wife of yours?” John asked brightly.

“I’m well dad and Brenda is more beautiful than ever. I just saw her this morning in Boston,” Jax said with a trace of sadness in his voice.

“How’s that going son? Getting a little rough?” John asked, concerned for both his son and daughter-in-law.

“It’s okay dad. She’ll be home for good soon so I’m sure we can make it through the next few days.” Jax took a deep breath. “Actually, I’m calling with some news for you and mum.”

“Really? It’s about time!” John said with a laugh. “I must tell you though son, your mum and I are much too young to be grandparents!”

Jax couldn’t help laughing. “It’s not that dad - at least not yet,” he said brightly. “Actually, what I wanted to tell you was that Brenda and I have decided to have a second wedding - a big splashy public affair!”

“A second wedding! How wonderful! Your mother will love it!” John said excitedly.

“Do you really think so? I mean she’s going to have to wear a dress and we both know how she feels about that!” Jax said with another chuckle.

“That’s true, normally she does hate the thought of wearing them, but for something like this - your wedding - she’ll gladly make an exception.” John chuckled for a moment but suddenly grew serious. “Seriously though son, this second wedding is a wonderful idea. It’s the perfect way to open the door to your future - and close the door on the past for good.”

Shaken by his father’s last statement, Jax got up and walked over to the fireplace. He gently picked up the little yacht. “Sometimes that’s not always possible dad. Sometimes the past stays with you forever - it becomes a part of you that you can’t let go of.”

“But you can let go of it son,” John said quickly. “Listen to me. Brenda loves you and it’s obvious to anyone who looks at you that you love her too. Your life is with Brenda. Your future is with Brenda. Let go of the past.”

Suddenly remembering Brenda’s dream, Jax set the yacht back on the mantle and took a deep breath. “I made a decision today dad. I’m going to tell Brenda about...”

“NO! You can’t do that Jax!” John said angrily.

“I have to dad. Brenda and I promised each other there would be no secrets between us. How can I keep this from her? She needs to know!” Jax said determinedly. “I refuse to let her be blindsided by finding out from someone else!”

“Listen to me son,” John said with a trace of anger in his voice. “There are only five people who know what happened and unless Scorpio is fool enough to tell her there is no way she will ever find out!” He took a deep breath. “Promise me that you’ll think about what I’ve said before you say anything to Brenda.”

“I’ll think about it dad. I won’t promise not to tell her - but I promise to think about what you’ve said,” Jax said with a deep sigh. “Give my love to mum and tell her that Brenda will call her in a day or so with all the wedding details.” Jax hung up the phone without giving his father a chance to say anything.

9:45 P.M.
PH4 Harborview Towers

Sonny was startled by the sound of the phone ringing as he paced in front of the terrace doors. He walked quickly over to the desk to answer it. “Yeah, what is it?” he said brusquely. “Oh Jason, it’s about time you called. What have you got for me?” He listened for a moment. “Good,” he said excitedly. “I’m coming down myself. Have someone meet me at the airport in Sydney while you keep on this. I want everything there is to know waiting for me when I get there. Benny will call you with the flight information.” He wrote a few quick notes as he listened to what Jason had to tell him. “No, I’ll be coming on a private jet.” He listened to Jason one last time. “Okay, I’ll see you in a couple of days. And Jason - thanks, this is exactly what I was looking for.”

After hanging up the phone, Sonny picked up the drink he had left on the desk earlier and walked back over to the doors to look out at the skyline. He looked at his reflection in the window and smiled. “I’ve got you Pretty Boy,” he said out loud with a smirk on his face.